At first glance, as I casually passed by Casa Freddy’s, 2216 North Portland Ave., it seemed like a ho-hum, by-the-book Anglicization of so many Mexican restaurants on the Northside—starting with the desert-landscaped patio that made the place look like a photoshoot for Arizona Highways magazine.
But, when my wife and I actually went into the restaurant, it became clear that this would be a real testament to the whole “judging a book by its cover” thing, because Casa Freddy’s had new-wave southwestern eatery vibes... but with an affordable Mexican taqueria-style menu that just wouldn't quit.
¡Es lo mejor de ambos mundos!
As we were ably seated, I immediately began to look over the menu. With so many dishes even I had never even heard of, I looked over at the wife and suggested she order something she had never tried before. Treat yourself!
Challenge accepted, we informed our decisions to our exceedingly sweet and patient server and snacked on the gratis chips and well-made salsa, enjoying the ambiance of Casa Freddy way more than I should have. That being said, I started to get a little in my head about the place, wondering if it was all show and little substance…
Man, I should have never second guessed myself!
Taking another swig from my tall glass of bottled Mexican Coke ($3.50 each), I was presented with the tlacoyos ($5.50). A handmade corn tortilla topped with steak, cheese, and nopalito (cactus!) salad, it was a dish as exotic as it sounded and more than the sum of its humble parts.
The large, fluffy blue corn tortilla created a soft bed for the lean steak and the loaded nopalito salad, one that could be cut with a knife and treated like a main course—and devoured like one. While I had all the three ingredients on their own, combined, they were a force to be reckoned with.
Thinking my main course couldn’t be any better, along came my breakfast dish, the Moyetes ($11.99) and, to be sure, it really exceeded my already elevated expectations. Served on an open faced bolillo roll, it was topped with refried black beans, scrambled eggs, crumbly cheese, and the secret weapon, chorizo.
The toasted bolillo roll soaked up the judicious smoky chorizo and eggs, as the flavorful beans and cheese were there to give it a little push, even if it didn’t need one. On the whole, I was visibly taken with this dish, one breakfast that I could have and truly enjoy every day of my life.
As I was chowing down on that, I got to say my wife chose a real showstopper, the Enfrijoladas ($14.99). Basically, it had four corn tortillas, covered deep in a traditional black bean soup, garnished with crumbly cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, and avocado slices, as well as a healthy cut of carne asada, just to be extra.
“Flavorful” was the word I kept coming back to, because every bite of her dinner was miraculous. With every bean moaning out in sheer ecstasy, the tortillas and the sliced avocados were merely consolation to the wonderful frijole tastes.
The skirt steak, even though it was a brilliant cut, was somewhat unnecessary, but I dug into the beans, had another few bites, and called it a day.
Even the dessert, a traditional pan dulce, was tarted up to the nth degree, and I was there for it. The Concha Rellena ($5.99) was a sweet bread absolutely stuffed with berries—both blue and straw—as well as whipped cream, then doused with a stream of sticky honey.
Fighting with my wife over who got the last bite, I cried “¡He terminado!” as I licked the plate clean.
I don’t claim to know Freddy, but as I wiped my mouth with my napkin, I felt like his Casa was my casa. So, I reckoned, if you wanted authentic and, above all, delicioso Mexican food for a reasonably low price, you really couldn't do much better than Casa Freddy's.
Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
